Ole Miss 'in the thick of it' for in-state 5-star WR Caleb Cunningham

Nearly the entire SEC is in the mix for Ackerman (Miss.) Choctaw County five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.

The elite prospect announced that he was down to a dozen top schools at the end of January. Ole Miss is amidst that bunch and the in-state program is battling to rise toward the top of that heap as Cunningham works through the next chapter in his recruitment.

“Ole Miss knows how to put receivers in the league and I have a great relationship with some of the people over there,” Cunningham told On3’s Chad Simmons upon making his latest cut.

No program has had Cunningham on campus more than the Rebels. In 2023 alone, the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder made four trips to Oxford, including a pair of game visits in the fall. Despite that, it may be the other in-state SEC school that has the current lead for the five-star.

“I think (Ole Miss) is in the thick of it. I would say Mississippi State is the leader and the current favorite right now. Jeff Lebby did a phenomenal job as soon as he was hired to take over in Starkville, to prioritize (Cunningham) and make him feel like the No. 1 guy,” Ole Miss insider Zach Berry said on The Inside Scoop.

Lane Kiffin taking point in charge for Cunningham

Ole Miss has proven to be a dominant force when it comes to the Transfer Portal and it’s also off the back of a top-20 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle. Making a push for Cunningham will be a major priority for Lane Kiffin and his staff — and the Rebels’ skipper is making sure he’s in the thick of things for the No. 11 prospect.

“Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin, new wide receivers coach George McDonald are gonna get pretty active in this one, I think. Kiffin has made it — ‘I’m personally recruiting Cunningham.’ It’ll be a full-staff effort, of course for a five-star guy like Cunningham,” Berry said.

Cunningham is currently balling out on the basketball court for Choctaw County, but he’s also gearing up for the summer, where he’s looking to cut his list of top schools in half. Plenty of schools are expecting to get him back on campus before he takes that next step, including Ole Miss.

“I think Cunningham is someone who, regardless if he commits early or not, will take all of his visits and enjoy the process and hear everybody out. I think he’s pretty truthful with his responses,” Berry said. “If not in the spring, Ole Miss will certainly have another Juice Fest this summer, but it’s going to be a battle and it’s not just Ole Miss and Miss State. You’ve got Florida State, you’ve got LSU, everybody wants Cunningham.”